What You See Is What You See
by HellsBellsBella
Summary: New York, 1997. The gang are teenagers, between school and life sucking step parents, life can't suck more. No pairing specified yet...it'll be a surprise. Rated T


Disclaimer- I own nothing

New York, 1997

Mary and Mom were sat at the table in the living room drinking tea with lemon slices. Lindsay rolled her eyes at how her Mom always tried so hard to make herself look like she was richer than she was.

Lindsay adjusted the headband on her head in the hall mirror, she gave herself a once over and smiled happily, she had a date at the roller rink, she didn't want to look bad.

"Mom, I'm leaving for the roller rink now. I'll be back at eight at the latest."

"Okay dear, see you later."

When she reached the entrance of the roller rink, Randy Price strolled over to her. He had dirty blond hair and green eyes, he was dressed in oil stained jeans a red shirt and a leather jacket.

"Ah, Lindsay Monroe. You wanna buy any coke?" He asked, pulling a small baggie from his jean pocket. Lindsay stepped back with a look of pure disgust on her face.

"Randy for the last time, I don't do drugs. Leave me alone."

"Suit yourself, I'd watch that Messer kid, him and his brothers are part of a gang. Gangs have drugs Lindsay."

"Danny is not on drugs, I don't know about Louie, but Danny is a good guy."

"I'd pay more attention to Messer history Monroe, there are things you don't know about Danny Messer."

"Things you'd know?"

"Oh yeah, I'm connected." He said before leering at her and going over to some other people in hopes of selling the drugs.

Lindsay spotted Jessica Angell and Lauren White standing by the doors smoking ciggarettes, she moved over and tapped Jess on the shoulder.

"Have you seen Stella, so far I've only seen that sleeze, Randy Price."

"I think she went round the back with Don, they looked pretty comfortable."

Lindsay groaned inwardly, "Thanks Jess." Stella had promised she'd be out front by the time Lindsay got there, it's safe to say sex was more important at the moment, she knew Stella and Don were always slipping off together, it was what teenagers did half the time.

People always thought Lindsay was a prude, she was seventeen years old, she had never done a drug in her life, she was still a virgin and she had never even smoked a full ciggarette. The others often teased her for it, and she hated it. But she was the rookie after all.

After another ten minutes had passed, she sighed and entered the smoke filled building, she went over to the counter and saw Vera, the attendant.

"Hiya Linds, you alone tonight?" She asked, taking a pair of size five skates off the shelf and putting them on the counter in front of Lindsay.

"Well I wasn't supposed to be, but Stella has gone somewhere so for now I am."

"Alright, be careful out there honey. Tonights on the house for you."

Lindsay smiled, "You don't have to keep doing this Vera, I appreciate it though."

"Don't worry about it kid, your a good one. Stay outta trouble."

Vera Skegnetti had always been nice to Lindsay, since the day they had first met, Lindsay had asked her how much it was and if she could help find her skates on the first night, she had been nicer to Vera than any of the other bastards that attended the rink. Vera was 27, she had dyed red hair and blue eyes, she was tall and she had two kids, she'd always liked Lindsay, reminded her of her late sister Mary sometimes.

Lindsay took of her boots and passed them to Vera who placed them under the counter along with Lindsay's bag, Lindsay sat on one of the leather sofa's provided and laced up her skates.

"Heya Lindsay...you alone?" She glanced up and saw a friend from school, Sheldon Hawkes. He had shaved his head again, not completely, but a buzz cut.

"Yeah. Stella and Flack are out bonking somewhere. You skating tonight?"

"Yes, I'm waiting for Adam and Mac though, they said they'd be here by now."

"Ah cool, maybe their looking for Don, they probably were with him when they first got here."

"Yeah. Hope what they find is nice on the eyes, I personally wouldn't wanna see Flack and Stella doing the nasty."

Lindsay smiled and stood up, she linked with Hawkes and looked up at him. "You ready?"

"Yeah, I just need to tie a lace though. Wouldn't wanna fall and break something." She waited while Hawkes laced and tied his skates, he linked with her again and pulled her off towards the rink floor.

They skated round the rink a few times. Lindsay looked around, trying to see if she could see anyone she knew.

"No ones here strangely enough." Hawkes shouted over the music.

"It's so confusing. Where are they all, I mean Stella and Don have excuses kind of. But the others are completely MIA."

They skated off of the rink, not really in the mood for a friday afternoon skate off anymore. They gave Vera their skates back and went outside, they sat one of the wooden picknick benches that were canvased around the building for the tenants to sit on.

Lindsay put her purse on the wooden surface of the table and fished around looking for her cell phone. It was a right brick of all things, but at least it worked when it wanted to. It had a cool game on it, snake.

She punched in Stella's number and waited as it rang, she got no answer, she sighed and shoved the Nokia back into her bag, why did everyone want to be away from her tonight, and it wasn't even just her, Hawkes too.

"Have we done something wrong, they seem to be avoiding us..." He trailed off, scratching his head.

"I don't know, it seems that way doesn't it."

Hawkes nodded and pulled a grey nokia from his pocket, he dialled a number and lifted the phone to his ear. Someone answered and he asked if he could be picked up.

"My brother is coming, he'll take us home, you still live in Brooklyn right?"

"Yeah, my Mom's place, I want to move in with my dad though, I can once I turn eighteen, she'd never let me before."

Lindsay sighed, her family were somewhat disfunctional. Her Mom and Dad had been split up for around three years now. Her dad had cheated, not really surprising considering Anne Monroe was a total control freak, Lindsay and her brothers had been caught in the middle, Chase and Elliot had escaped off to college, leaving Lindsay the only one left, her mother and father had gone to court countless times on custody battles, half the time Lindsay would be sat in the corner, staring out of a window, wishing it would end.

"Don't mind Cyrus if he says anything stupid, he's the brother who's smoked so much pot that he's constantly baked. Thinks things are funny when their not." Hawkes laughed, remembering a funny time with Cyrus.

"Oh don't worry. I'm sure he's lovely really."

"Yeah, I suppose he is really. He's been done for a DUI though because he's normally baked when he drives, but don't worry, he's been doing it for so many years now that he's perfected it."

"Okay, and I'm not worried. If Elliot or Chase were here now, you'd know the meaning of reckless driving, I used to try and embed myself into the carseat, would never ever sit in the front when either one was driving."

Hawkes and Lindsay sat on the side walk, waiting for Cryus to turn up. Sure enough he turned up five minutes later, looking a little tired, but not baked actually.

"Alright kids, where we goin'?"

"Brooklyn, remember that place we dropped Linds before, same place."

"No problem, you ok Lindsay?" Cryus asked, turning tired eyes towards the back seat where Lindsay sat.

"I'm good, how about you?"

"I've been better, but I'm able to drive, don't worry."

"I think I'm gonna check myself into rehab bro. Can't keep doing this to myself."

"I'm glad you see it that way Cy, it'll do you a hell of a good." Hawkes said, placing a comforting hand on his brothers shoulder.

"Yeah, I mean it's a massive waste of time and money, I could be doing something more productive, like getting a job. I just need the haze to go away."

"It will once they start treatment. You shouldn't have mixed stuff in with the whacky, it's got you addicted to something else now, but I'm sure they'll straighten you out in rehab."

"Your gonna be a Doc ain't you Sheldon. Mom always talks about you becoming a PHD."

"Yeah, I want to be a medical examiner."

"Good life choice. What about you Lindsay?" Cyrus asked, suddenly feeling like his head was clearing.

"I want to become a crime scene investigator, it's a similar field in which your brother will be entering."

"Good. This girl's a looker Sheldon. Be a good friend to her."

"I will. Don't worry Cy."

"Thank you Cyrus, Hawkes is a great friend, and your nice, thank you for the ride." Lindsay said as they pulled up outside of her house.

"No prob. I'll call you later Linds." Hawkes said, giving her a calm smile.

"Okay, bye."

She checked her phone, it was only ten to seven, she guessed her mom would be happy that she was home early. She pulled on the handle, locked. Maybe her mom had gone out. Bonus. She smiled and unlocked the door, she listened for voices but heard none.

Thank god Anne had decided to go out. For once giving her only daughter some time on her own.

She headed straight for her room, remembering how crap she had felt before. She hadn't seen Stella, Danny, Adam or Mac. They had bailed.

Lindsay shut her curtains, blocking out the weak rays of sunshine from coming through. She changed into some sweat pants and a t-shirt before laying on top of the covers on her bed, she picked up a book she had been reading earlier and carried on. Deciding to lose herself in a dream world where no one could hurt her.

Half an hour later Lindsay's cell rang, she sighed and picked it up.

'Danny' She declined his call and went back to reading, it rang again, she declined again, and after another five calls he gave up, accepting the fact that she wouldn't answer to him.

Ten minutes later the phone rang again, this time it was Stella.

"Stella where the hell were you. You bailed on me!"

"I'm so sorry Linds. There's been an accident, that's why none of us showed at the rink."

"Oh god. What's happened?"

"It was an old friend of ours, Aiden Burn. They found her body burnt out in a car, they informed Danny's folks cause they were all she really ever had when it came to parents. Danny was like family to her.

"They think Aiden's boyfriend did it, considering he's nowhere to be seen."

"Oh god, tell Danny I'm sorry for igoring his calls. And tell someone to call Hawkes, he has a right to know. I haven't got a lot of money left on this cell. My Mom won't let me get more."

"Don't worry, Don's on the phone to Sheldon now. Linds do you want to come back out?"

"I would but I'm already in my room. And my Mom's evil, once I'm in, she won't let me out again."

"I can't honestly wait until your eighteen Linds. Your Mom is a total bitch."

"You and I both. My Dad's even excited. When he calls every weekend he gets excited that the dates getting closer. That's why Mom won't give me money, she doesn't want me talking to my Dad."

Lindsay and her Mom had never seen eye to eye when she and her Dad had divorced, it was stupid really, she had basically driven her husband into the arms of another woman.

"I'm really considering buying you a cell phone. And just a warning, everyone's pretty beat up about Aiden, so don't take it personally."

"Stell, even if you did buy me a cellphone, I wouldn't be able to use it."

"And why's that?"

"She'd probably figure out that you'd given me one, any money I get is spent on school, the roller rink or other stuff, Dad sends me money though, and I always wake up earlier than her so she can't read my mail."

"Keep hiding your mail. I'm buying you a cell phone, you can use the money your dad sends, don't worry though, I'll top it up when I buy it. Those Nokia's are good."

"Ok, I'll pay you back Stell."

"No need, what are friends for ah?"

"Thank you, I really appreciate it."

"Alright Linds, I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow, and for the record, Don and I weren't having sex this time."

"Ah whatever you say Stell. Bye." She laughed and hung up.

Lindsay sent Danny a text and waited anixiously, wondering whether he'd reply.

He called, and she answered.

"I'm so sorry Danny, I didn't know. I shouldn't have acted so childish."

"Don't worry Montana, it's fine."

"I feel like I've done you wrong. I knew you and Aiden were close, I feel like a bitch for not answering your calls."

"Don't call yourself names Lindsay, your too good for that."

"I'm here Danny. I always will be."

"I know Montana. I'm here for you too."

"Anyway, Randy Price for some reason thinks that your on Coke. He asked me if I'd buy some, I said no, and he told me to watch the Messer's, because there are things I don't know."

"Ah don't worry about him. He follows me and my brother around like a lost dog. He'll give anything for someone to throw him a bone. It's all crap Linds. Don't listen to him, you'd know if I were on drugs."

"I guess I know better. You wouldn't follow in Louie's foot steps, and you come from a family of cops. Your Dad would freak."

"Yeah, I'd never see outside the four walls of either a cell or a rehab clinic room until I'd ditched the habit."

"True that. I'm gonna go now, I'm tired from skating around a half empty rink with Hawkes. I'll see you tomorrow Danny."

"See ya Montana. Bye."

Lindsay's bedroom door opened, what her mom liked to refer as a step daughter strolled in.

"I want you to do my biology homework for me. You are learning to be a scientist, so you know your stuff."

Mandy Clyde was her Mom's sleeze bag boyfriend's daughter, she was a total cow. Everyone who knew Lindsay hated her.

"Go pay for a tutor Mandy, I'm sure you have enough money."

"How would you like it if your Mom knew Stella Bonasera was buying you a new cell phone? And that you talk to boys older than you. I'm sure you'd be grounded for about a month."

"Fine, I'll do it. But you are the most pathetic person I've ever had the displeasure to meet. And stop spying on me you freak."

"Whatever squint. I want it done by saturday."

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have some homework to do. No pun intended."

"Oh, and Lindsay. Don't give yourself a brain hemorrhage from thinking too hard."

Mandy sneered and left the room. Lindsay ran a hand through her hair, she had always hated Robert Clyde, and no matter how many times he'd try and dicipline her, she'd never listen. He and his daughter were poisonous people, and that was what Anne Monroe liked. Poison.

People usually underestimated her, she knew it and she hated it, but she knew she couldn't change a person's opinion of her. She thought back to when she was younger when things that were related with modern day society didn't matter. When the worst thing that could happen was losing a doll. She missed those days, but everyone has to grow up eventually.

She dropped what she was doing and turned out her lamp, she threw some things onto the floor from her bed and climbed beneath the covers. She'd clean up the mess in the morning, it wasn't like Anne would be hovering at this time of night.

The morning came all too quickly, Lindsay dragged herself from the warm space between the covers and creeped across the hallway to the bathroom to prepare for the day. She had at least half an hour before she would have to think about getting dressed. She showered and brushed her teeth, making sure everything was sorted. She dressed in jeans a looney tunes t-shirt and some navy adidas tennis shoes and a grey sweat shirt. She was too tired to bother make herself look like she had a feminin bone in her body.

She completely ignored her mother when she came down stairs. She made herslef some toast and got up when there was a knock on the door. It was Hawkes, dressed pretty dully too.

"Come on, Cyrus is giving us a ride. And give me a bite of your toast." He said, laughing at the look she gave him. Once she'd said a brief goodbye to her Mom she left and handed Sheldon a piece of fresh toast.

"The wicked witch of the west made extra. Enjoy."

"Ah thank you. We're gonna be early." He said, opening the back door for Lindsay.

"I know. Morning Cyrus, how are you?" He turned around and stuck his thumb up.

"I'm great. Top of the mornin' to ya." he said, trying to inforce an accent.

"He's obsessed with those old English films, likes the accent." Hawkes laughed, rolling up the sleeves of his brown shirt.

Lindsay laughed and finished her toast, cornering the crumbs she had obtained into the bottom of her shirt so they wouldn't fall on the floor of Cyrus' car. She'd throw them away once they were at school.

They got to the school and thanked Cyrus as they climbed from the car. He said he'd be back at four to take them home, they thanked him and walked to where they saw Danny smoking a ciggarette by the entrance.

Lindsay shook her head and grabbed the ciggarette from his hand. He protested but gave up once he saw that it was Lindsay, she stubbed it out and smushed it into the grass.

"Stop stealing Louie's cigarettes Danny. Your not starting, it's so bad for you."

"Alright Montana, how's it goin' Hawkes?"

"It's alright man, and Lindsay's right. Smoking is a mugs game."

Danny shook his head laughing, "I know, anyone seen Mac? People are getting worried now, no one has seen him for three days."

"Nope, he's in the wind. Someone could ask his Mom and Dad."

"I guess some people need to be alone sometimes, Mac has got a lot on his plate. Claire has only been gone for two months."

"He's healing. But it's a gruelling process, god only knows."

"Ah. Well he's in New York. All the strippers you could ever think of."

Lindsay slapped Danny's arm, "Because you'd know about strippers."

"Yeah, Louie took me to a joint near battery park, it was nice."

"Nice? You associate strippers with the world nice. Ew."

"Are you jealous Montana, you want a piece of the Messer?"

"Not in your life time."

"Ah, shame."

"We better go. The bell is going to ring, the others are probably inside." Hawkes said, pulling Lindsay's bag strap, dragging her towards the doors.

"Come on Messer. Cindy will be inside."

"Nope. I broke up with her. She's too clingy."

"I love how you treat your women Danny. Lovely."

"No, I was joking, we weren't working really."

"Okay."

It was third period, Lindsay had English with Stella. Everyone seemed lazily bored. The class had been fairly boring, Mac hadn't turned up. But no one seemed surprised really, he'd gone of the rails a few months back when his girlfriend Claire had been killed. She died in a car crash, the worst thing was that they couldn't recover her body without damaging it beyong recognition. They had to incinerate everything. Including Claire Conrad's body. She had a son strangely enough, she was older than all of them. Had been out of high school for years.

Reed Garrett, he was currently seven years old and living with his adoptive parents. Claire had loved him, but he was too much to handle, she was young, and she couldn't handle having a kid at that age. Sometimes she had regretted giving Reed away. But it was truly for the best.

They all worried about Mac. It wasn't something new really, but they still worried. Especially Flack, he felt responsible for the things that happened to Mac. And Lindsay wouldn't be surprised if Don was out looking for Mac right now instead of going to school.

"He'll be fine Lindsay. He's stronger than anyone thinks." Stella whispered into her ear when she saw Lindsay worriedly staring out of the window.

"Have you seen Don?"

"Yeah, he wanted to go looking for Mac, but I persuaded him not to. I said Mac will come back in his own time, and he will. Just give him a few more days and he'll be back."

"That's good. I love Don...I love you all. I was so worried."

"I love you too Lindsay. And we all are, but we have to be patient."

She nodded and stared back to the board. People were copying what Mr Steadmoore was writing down, so she picked up her pen and proceeded to do the same.

"I miss greece so much sometimes, the warmth, not that it's not nice here. I miss my home town you know, I'm sure you miss Montana."

"Yeah I do, though I'm glad we moved here, because if we hadn't, I wouldn't have met you guys, and after what happened with my friends I didn't make any new ones. So I'm glad I'm here really."

"Everything happens for a reason then I guess." Stella smiled, patting Lindsay on the arm.

"You've got that right. Anyway, are you and Don dating now?" Lindsay asked, regarding Stella with a confused look.

"No. We're more consensual than anything."

"You mean you have consensual sex casually, no strings attatched kind of thing?"

Stella nodded, "I don't know how it happened. Maybe after Ally moved away, I think he was lonely."

"Yeah, I remember when Ally left, everyone took it hard. She was a good friend."

"Yeah. Don needed someone to lean on, so I've been there for him, people will talk. But we don't care."

Lindsay nodded, she'd never ask why, or how things happened in greater context. She valued Stella as a friend, so she decided to leave things at that.

"You're a good friend Linds. Most people would ask for more details. But not you."

Lindsay smiled, "I value you too much as a friend to ask annoying questions that don't even matter really. It's your life, do as you please."

Stella nodded and leaned in to hug Lindsay, she hugged Stella back and they smiled. Glad they were friends because every girl needed another girl to keep her properly sane.

They carried on working on an English essay and waited as the clock ticked sluggishly towards lunch. Lindsay sighed and packed her things away once the bell had rang. She still worried about Mac, more than most people would know.

Her and Stella walked out into the court yard and spotted Don and Sheldon sat on a bench talking. They headed over and dumped their things onto the bench.

"Anyone heard from Mac yet?" Stella asked pulling a pasta pot from her bag.

"He's at home. He called me around twenty minutes ago, he said he needed some time to calm down." Don said, eating some pizza.

"See. I told you with some space he'd come round. I know Mac Taylor better than anyone." Stella said with a smile, popping the lid of her pasta pot.

That was true. Stella and Mac had known each other years upon years, since they were kids. Lindsay often wondered how they had met.

"Cryrus is giving us a ride again tonight, so we won't be sticking around after three." Hawkes said to the others, chewing on a cheese sanwich and poking Lindsay in the arm.

"Cool. Your brother is a gentle creature, nicer than most people."

Hawkes laughed. "I'm glad you see it that way, he needs people around you know."

"Where's Danny and Adam?" Lindsay asked when everyone had been eating in silence for more than five minutes.

Don almost choked on his pizza laughing. He swallowed and cleared his throat.

"Danny called Mrs Eller a miserable old cow, Adam laughed so she gave them both detention. Danny said he would have added fat too but apparently he didn't have time." Don said, laughing again.

They all laughed at the stupidity of it, Danny was a cracker.

"Sounds like Danny, well I guess it's lonely time today." Stella said, rubbing her arms.

They nodded and carried on with their lunch. The bell rang and they all got up, dumping their left overs into the trash can.

"I'll see you guys later. I've got gym class now." Lindsay said with a roll of her eyes, she hated gym, but it was mandatory.

"Unlucky. Think Jess is in your class. So it may not be so bad."

"Hopefully." She said before heading towards the gym changing rooms, unfortunately Jess was in the other class. They smiled at each other sadly before going into the changing rooms. Lindsay groaned inwardly when she saw who was in there. Courtenay Brass and Erin walker stood in the back, talking. They looked up when she walked in and laughed.

"Oh the science nerd has entered. Think she knows the formulas of physical education?"

Lindsay sighed and stuffed her kit back into her bag. Sure she'd get into trouble but it was the last two hour period of the day. It was quiet when she left. No one around so she probably wouldn't get caught.

She pulled out her cell and punched in a text to Stella.

_Brass and Walker are in my class so I'm ditching early. I'll call you later on, I'm gonna hang around for a while until it's late enough to go home, take care - Lindsay._

A few minutes later her phone buzzed, she grabbed it from her bag and opened the message.

_Okay sweeite. See you later. - Stella._

Lindsay sighed and slipped the phone back into her bag. She walked away from the school unseen thankfully. Usually there would be a teacher or two lurking around. But not today.

She got to the main road, there were cabs everywhere so she'd caught on lucky. She hailed one and gave the cabbie directions to a central park. Somewhere were she'd have some peace away from the dramas of school and home put together.

Once she'd paid the cabbie, she got out and entered the park. There were loads of people around, walking dogs. Playing with kids, family picknicks etc. She hoped life stayed simple for those youngsters.

She walked over to an empty bench and sat down. Things had been rough lately, hitting hard on everyone. She wouldn't feel sorry for herself, that wasn't who she was.

She rummaged in her bag and pulled out a book, Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs. It was loosely based on a forensic anthropologist named Temperence Brennan, the books were fabulous, and Lindsay found herself enjoying them.

It had been about an hour when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and saw a slightly rumpled Mac Taylor, he had five o'clock shadow, he had dark circles under his eyes. He looked bad. Real bad.

She threw herself up from the bench and placed a hand on Mac's shoulder, he bowed his head slightly and sighed.

"Stella said you'd be here. She didn't know where exactly, but she mentioned that you liked to read in the park."

Lindsay smiled and nodded and led him to the bench she had previously been sitting on. He bowed his head and placed his hands over his eyes.

"I miss her so much. So god damn much. And nothing will make the pain go away." He said, breathing shallowly.

"Everyone has a right to mourn Mac. There are different ways. We all miss Claire too, I'm sure she wouldn't want you remembering her this way."

"I know, but there's no other way. I can't cope without her."

She worriedly looked him over. "Your not considering suicide are you?"

He looked up, teary eyed. "I thought about it. But then I thought what was the point, it wouldn't make things any better. It would make you guys, my friends even sadder."

She nodded, glad the rational part of him hadn't been thrown out of the window. She wrapped an arm around his shoulder and sighed when he leant into her, she held him for half an hour as he breathed in and out quietly.

"That's why I wanted to find you. Your the most understanding of them all Lindsay."

"I'm going to be like my dad...I'm going into the Marines after high school."

Lindsay felt a pang in her stomach, she'd always cared about Mac Taylor, and her feelings for him had never quite been defined, but she knew somewhere deep down they were more than friendly.

"That's good Mac, I wish you the best, your a good man, you really are."

He looked at her and smiled. "You're one of a kind Lindsay Monroe. It's not like I don't feel like I can talk to the others. You just listen, you don't interrupt."

"Yeah well my Dad always taught me to listen to a story before I jumped in and asked questions, you know so I knew everything."

He nodded, "Well your father raised a great girl."

"Thank's Mac."

"Anytime...I'm glad you found me, well I found you, but you knew I'd be around here didn't you?"

"Yeah. I thought that maybe you would be."

He sighed and looked out around them, New York was perhaps the most wonderful place aside from Chicago that he'd ever been in. He loved it here, it was amazing.

"I'll always live in New York. I'll always come back, here is home."

"I know Mac, I know."

He turned around and smiled, making Lindsay's stomach fill with butterflies.

"How are the others? I hope I'm not causing too much trouble." He asked, scratching the back of his neck

"They're fine. Stella has been the one telling us all to give you time, leave you be."

"She really is mother of all isn't she. I guess when you've known someone most of your life, you really know everything."

"Yeah well, you mean a lot to everyone Mac. When you fall of the waggon, everyone worries."

Mac smiled, he seemed calmer now, it was good to know that his friends were around him in such a crappy time.

Claire had been his girlfriend for around three years, he'd spoke on the phone to her before the crash, the line went dead and he panicked, why would the line go dead in New York, there were cell towers everywhere you fucking looked.

He'd ran into the emergancy room at the Angel Of Mercy hospital and straight to Claire's side, no doctor or paramedic had made him leave because they were all too busy trying to save Claire Conrad's life.

He'd whispered things in her ear, and he'd been happy when they'd stabalized her. But eight hours later she died, an artery had sprung a leak from damage to her body and she'd died of internal bleeding.

He couldn't believe she was gone, no one could, her parents had flew in from Chicago, they came to see Mac kneeling next to her bed, head in his hands, he'd loved her more than anything in his life, and now she was gone.

"What happened, son?" Donald Conrad had asked, holding on tightly to his wife Penny as she broke down, stroking Claire's soft cheek.

"A car made an illegal U-turn and hit her full speed, head on. They rushed her here and managed to get her stabalized, but she died this morning, internal bleeding that had come up over night."

Donald placed his hand on Mac's shoulder, "You loved her like no other, son. I'm glad she had someone like you."

"I know. I loved her more than anything." That had been months ago now, and the pain was as fresh as ever.

They had buried Claire in Sleepy Pines Cemetry in the Bronx, next to her grandfather, he had come to lay flowers down almost every month since her death.

"You wanna go and get some cannoli's and coffee?" Lindsay asked, hoping it would take his mind off of everything death related.

"Can I take a rein-check Linds, I just want to go home, have a shower and get some sleep. I promise I'll make it up to you."

Lindsay smiled, "It's fine Mac, I was just wondering if you'd be hungry, but that's okay. I should get home too. My evil mother will probably be wondering where I am now."

"I can't wait untill you move in with your dad. Time will fly."

"I know, I can't either, Elliot and Chase always visit him, and I barely get to see them because they refuse to come and see Mom. I don't know really, I know why they hate her. And our family are all so stubborn that no one ever wants to resolve anything."

"Urgh and another thing, Mandy Clyde. I cannot stand the bitch, I have to do her science homework for her."

Mac frowned "You should have told her where to stick it Linds. Her and her Dad have enough money for tutors etc."

"Yeah but she ovverhead me and Stell on the phone, threatened to tell my Mom Stella would be buying me a new phone. She's one evil bitch, she even threatened to tell my Mom about Danny."

"Christ allmighty. Anne doesn't like Danny, but hell. Mandy is just a stuck up bitch, she's obviously bored of rich people, money and all of the things that come with it."

"So how are you and Danny anyway?"

"We're friends Mac..." She said, giving him an honest smile.

"Yeah, but there's definitely something lurking between you two."

"Hmm, well I wasn't aware. You carry on thinking that Mac." Lindsay smiled and stood up. He followed and they walked in silence to the gate.

"How are you gonna get back to Brooklyn?"

"I'll catch the subway, anyways, I'll see you tomorrow in school Mac, am I right?"

He nodded and gave her that one million dollar smile "Yeah. I'll see you."

When Lindsay walked through the door her Mom came straight into the hall "Where have you been Lindsay?"

"I went to the park after school and got carried away with reading." Anne raised an eyebrow

"That's not what my friend Susan Decker said, she said she saw you walk out of central park with Mackenna Boyd Taylor's son."

"Fine. I was with Mac Taylor, what difference does it make Mom. He's going through a rough patch at the moment, he needs his friends."

Anne sneered, "Yes because Donald and Penny Conrad's daughter died, if anything it was her own fault, speaking to that boy on the phone while she drove."

Lindsay gave Anne a disgusted look "You obviously don't know what happened. A driver made an illegal U-turn and took out Claire's car. Get your facts straight before you speak ill of the dead, mother." Lindsay said before making her way up the stairs.

Anne grumbled something under her breath and walked back into the living room.

Lindsay slammed her door shut on purpose, knowing that Anne would hear it through the thin walls. She dropped her bag on the floor and sat on her bed, there was never anything she could do once she'd returned home on a school night. She could sneak out, but she'd have to risk climbing down the fence that was centred on the wall. But she was sure her Mom's nosy husband Robert Clyde would sought her out. He always snooped in on her, it was creepy. Real creepy.

Her phone rang and she answered, hoping it wasn't Mandy.

"Hey Linds, you ok?" she sighed with releif, it was only Stella.

"I'm good, just had my daily argument with Mother. Apparently me being seen with Mac is a bad thing according to her, and she said Mac's dad's name so formally like she doesn't like the Taylor family or something.

"Ah..yes, Millie and Mackenna have never liked her, once Mac told me that his Dad had told him that when you had been born, he had wanted to take you away because he'd seen the way your Mom was with Elliot and Chase. She's unfit Linds."

"I know, only cares about herself."

"Only a few more months until you move in with your dad. Bet you're so excited, living in Manhattan has it's perks."

She grinned "Yeah, I'll be closer you everyone. I like Brooklyn, I just don't like my Mom." She whispered, just incase anyone was listening.

"Well you can visit. Wonder if your Mom's gonna have more children, they'll be devil children, I can see it."

"Um Stell, I think she's a little old."

"Nope...The oldest woman to give birth was in her sixties, anything is possible Linds."

"You watch way too many of those weird pregnancy documentaries Stella."

"Yes I suppose I do, but you learn a lot from them. Their good."

"Yup."

"OK. Well I'm gonna go now, I'll call you back later." She said, Lindsay had a knowing look on her face.

"Let me guess, your parents aren't home till late, and Don's coming over."

"How'd you guess?"

"I'm your best friend, I know these things."

"Okay, talk later Linds."

"Ok, bye."

"Bye, love you."

Lindsay laughed and put her phone on her nightstand, she glanced over at her calandar, only a few more weeks now...


End file.
